WARNING: Yaoi (BoyxBoy, gay sex), Incest, gore, and so on and so forth.
CAUTION: This story contains information about a few chemical reactions—nothing you can't just look up on Youtube, honestly—But I still want to remind you that this is a Fanfiction and I caution you not to try anything you read on here. Okeedokee, thanks~
UNBETA'D (For now)
Star Brothers
Chapter17: Infinitely Smirking Face
Mugetsu – 21 years old
Shirosaki – 18 years old
Getsuga – 18 years old
Kon – 15 years old
Ichigo – 15 years old
"Huh...?" All eyes turned to Ichigo and the poor teen folded in on himself mentally as nervousness took over.
"He wishes to speak with you privately." Aizen reached out a hand and patiently waited for Ichigo to take it. The boy hesitated a few times before finally doing so because as soon as Aizen said 'he', Ichigo felt dread well up inside him.
He knew—he knew—who it was that waited for him.
Ichigo locked eyes with Shiro as they passed and Ichigo could see the curiosity flitting behind those golden eyes. He wished he could just tell his brother what had him so nervous, but he knew that wouldn't go over well...
Ichigo couldn't help flitting his gaze to Grimmjow as well. The older teen's brow was scrunched and he seemed just as puzzled as Shiro.
"Uhm... I'll be right back." Ichigo promised with a small wave before jumping to catch up with Aizen, who was leading the way to the living room.
Shirosaki felt himself deflate when Ichigo disappeared from sight and then disappointment took over.
Was it a little wrong that he'd been kinda excited about showing off his nakedness to Ichigo?
Maybe.
He locked eyes with Getsuga, who was staring at him with this stupid shit-eating grin that said 'I know what you're thinking, you perverted asshole.'
Shiro huffed out a breath and flipped him off in response before jumping back into the Jacuzzi.
A round of disappointed whines came from the others, mostly from Nel, when Getsuga also returned to his spot by Mugetsu.
They were no strangers to seeing Shirosaki in all his naked glory for reasons they'd rather not get into, but Getsuga was something new—even if he was Shiro's twin.
"Sorry, kiddies. The fun will have ta be put on hold for now." Shiro said with a bored wave of his hand, and then it was silent for a few more seconds.
Until Kon opened his big mouth, of course.
"Who do you think it is?"
Mugetsu shrugged while Getsuga and Shiro raised a brow curiously.
"Huh?"
Kon gave Shiro an exasperated sigh before gesturing to where Ichigo and Aizen left.
"Who do you think came for Ichigo? DUH!" Kon flinched at the glare he got for the 'duh' but continued speaking. "Ya know... he hasn't said much about his adopted family. Sooo… you think maybe it's one of his parents?"
Shirosaki narrowed his eyes suspiciously at that as he thought back to Ichigo's phone conversation at the hospital. He only remembered Ichigo being really angry and he couldn't imagine his sweet little brother yelling at a parental figure.
But, then again—Shiro had no idea what Ichigo's been through these past 11 years.
Come to think of it, he didn't know what any of his brothers went through.
Shirosaki wanted to hear all of their stories-but first things first.
"Everyone shuddup while I try to figure out what's going on with Ichigo." Shiro said as he closed his eyes in concentration. He got curious looks from his adopted siblings, but Kon and the others just nodded encouragingly.
...
..
.
"Don't worry about tracking water... I know the other kids won't bother drying off either." Aizen explained when he saw the teen hesitate before stepping onto the clean, white floors. Ichigo slowly nodded in understanding and remained nervously quiet as they turned a corner and then another, but when they finally reached their destination, Ichigo felt a small growl rise in his throat when he saw the familiar figure of Ginjou Kuugo.
Aizen raised a brow at the reaction, but didn't say a word.
Ichigo crossed his arms and felt his face twist into an angry scowl when Ginjou took a step towards him.
Usually he never wanted to draw attention to himself and get the man in trouble because, despite everything that's happened, Ginjou had raised him and fed him and took care of him. There was no overlooking that fact... And, deep down, Ichigo would always be grateful...
But Ginjou had threatened to take Ichigo away when he just found his family again.
That was something which couldn't be ignored.
"Ichigo... We need to talk." Ginjou said and then he gave a pointed look to Aizen as if to say 'Aloneee'.
The tall brunette waited a few seconds before finally conceding, but not without whispering to Ichigo, "I'll be outside if you need anything." And then he was left alone with his 'father'.
"What do you want?" Ichigo snapped, arms crossed and angry sneer still in place.
Ginjou fiddled with his shirt for a moment before sighing and collapsing on the large L-shaped sofa. He leaned forward and buried his face into his hands, fingers digging roughly in dark brown hair.
"Ichigo... Well.. I'm... I mean I should..."
The teen felt his short fuse blow and Ginjou jumped when he snapped, "Spit it out!"
Ginjou's eyes narrowed and his fists clenched reflexively at the disrespectful attitude being rushed at him. "You little-" But he quickly cut himself off and raised his hands in defeat. Ichigo was surprised at how quickly the irritable man was able to reel himself back in. "Dammit Ichigo... I'm trying to apologize." Ginjou breathed and winced at the dark glare sent his way.
"Apologize for what, exactly? Because there's a whole list I can give you."
Ginjou took in a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose before standing back up.
Ichigo straightened his back and planted his feet to the wooden floorboards when the man started walking towards him. Ichigo didn't care that he was half naked and dripping wet—he wanted to show Ginjou that he wasn't scared of him.
Ichigo could hold his own thanks to Byakuya's training, but Ginjou was a lot stronger when he was sober. Plus, there would always be that initial pang of fear built in from years of abuse whenever Ginjou raised his hand or made any sudden movements… So it made him feel better knowing that he had family nearby that would make Ginjou's life hell if anything bad happened.
Ginjou stopped walking when he was about a foot away and looked down into Ichigo's fierce gaze.
"I heard what happened at the hospital... I'm..." He sighed and looked away as he continued to speak, "I'm... sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I was supposed to make sure nothing ever happened to you and..." He trailed off as he looked up and saw Ichigo's hard expression waver. "I promised Jackie I would take care of you."
Ichigo felt his heart pound against his chest and he clenched his fist when he heard Jackie's name. The only time Ginjou ever brought her up was when he was shitfaced and getting ready to blame him for her death.
But this...
This was different, and Ichigo wasn't sure how to react.
"That's why we need to leave. I need to take you somewhere safe. So you can-"
"No!" Ichigo snarled and his scowl returned. "I'm not going anywhere. I already told you that."
Ginjou clenched his fists and forced himself to take a step back before the urge to smack Ichigo became too great. "I know that!" He spat back. "You made that nice and clear before you hung up on me!" He forced himself to calm down; He was hyperaware of the fact that they weren't alone in this house, and he was clearly outnumbered. "Just listen to me! I know you want to stay with your brothers, but-"
"No!" Ichigo shouted again. His face went red as rage bubbled inside him. "There is no 'But'! I'm staying! I don't care what you think is best for me-I can't... I won't be separated from them again..." Ichigo felt tears prick at his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. This bastard didn't deserve to see him cry-the only thing Ginjou should ever see was his anger and spite.
"Ichigo... You're only 15 and-like it or not-I'm your fucking guardian. Once you turn 18 then you can come back and become these bastards' test subject if that's what you really want! But, until then, I'm in charge!"
"Then you'll have to take me kicking and screaming, 'cause I'm not leaving without a fight!" Ichigo snapped right back and he took a retreating step towards the exit when he saw Ginjou's lips pull back into a snarl. Their muscles were tense and both males were readying themselves for the fight that could break out any second now.
"Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Ichigo! I'm just trying to protect you. Why can't you get that through your thick skull!?" Ichigo bristled but kept silent while Ginjou continued to ramble. "This morning a bunch of people come to the house and reveal that they were the guardians of your brothers, who you only mentioned when you were a little kid! And then they left me with all these questions hanging in the air. I didn't know what to fucking think! I already knew you were trouble, so I tried to keep you as hidden as I could, so of course these people seemed suspicious to me. Then! And then that woman, Yoruichi, calls me to say you're at a hospital. A fucking hospital, Ichigo! I tried to call you, but you didn't answer at first, and I... got worried." Ginjou confessed. He looked up into Ichigo's eyes and took in a deep breath before continuing. "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you..."
Ichigo felt himself melt.
Was his wish coming true?
Was Ginjou finally returning to that father figure he looked up to so long ago?
He was about to drop his fists and relax, but realization finally dawned on him.
"You only care because you promised Jackie, not because you actually give a shit about me."
Ginjou didn't say a thing to that. He just stood there and stared into Ichigo's narrowed eyes calmly. His dark eyes were cold and dead, and his silence was all Ichigo needed for an answer.
It was too overwhelming.
He couldn't hold his emotions back anymore
The walls he'd built up all these years to keep up a cool façade shattered as soon as he remembered his brothers and now he had to start from scratch.
He felt emotionally raw and it was just too much.
Ichigo crumpled to his knees and slammed his fists to the ground as silent tears fell from chocolate brown eyes. For the second time that day, Ichigo let his emotions get the better of him, except… this time he wasn't crying in happiness but in frustration.
He'd never shown so much emotion in all the years they've known each other, so Ginjou wasn't prepared and he sure as hell didn't know how to react to it. He could only watch as his adopted son looked up at him with big, watery eyes.
"What did I do!?" Ichigo howled. He was tired of being blamed for something when he had no idea what it was. He wanted answers! "How did I kill her!?"
Ginjou quickly looked away and clenched his fists.
"Don't..."
"Tell me!"
"Ichigo..."
"I need to know!"
"Shut up, Ichigo..."
Ginjou felt all his muscles tighten like a loaded spring as he tried to control his temper.
"How can you blame me for something I didn't even do!?"
That was all it took to make him snap.
Ginjou dove forward and quickly pinned the teen to floor. He pressed Ichigo's face against the wooden floorboards and growled when his hand slid against Ichigo's tear-soaked cheek.
"I Said... Shut... up..."
Ichigo went quiet after that. He didn't even try to get out from under Ginjou since the man had the advantage at this point and Ichigo just felt so drained from his break down.
Ginjou slowly brought his face down until he could hiss in Ichigo's ear. "Jackie died protecting you! That fucker told us to hand you over and she refused! She fought to keep him away! It's all because of you! And there's nothing you can do or say that'll change what happened."
Ichigo slowly closed his eyes when frustration picked away at his insides, but there was also understanding. Of course, he still didn't know exactly what happened, but now he at least knew that Jackie was just trying to protect him.
She died, yes-but it wasn't because he made a mistake or did something stupid.
Ginjou just never stopped grieving.
Slowly, carefully, Ichigo reached up with one hand and wrapped his fingers around Ginjou's wrist. He pulled away the hand that was smashing his face until he could look up into narrowed eyes. He let a small, sad smile slip onto his lips and then spoke in a soft whisper.
"And there's nothing you can do or say that will bring her back, Ginjou..."
Said man bristled and, before he could stop himself, raised his fist. His blood boiled and roared in his ears; He was so focused on readying himself to punch Ichigo—to let out all of his anger on this young teen—that he never heard the footsteps charging towards the living room.
Just as his knuckles collided with Ichigo's face, Ginjou found himself being kicked away; His back colliding with the coffee table, shattering the glass and knocking the breath from his lungs.
But it didn't stop there.
Something—or rather someone—landed on top of him, digging his back into the broken table, and then there were fists everywhere. Hard, cement-like knuckles struck his face, stunning him until his old special ops training finally kicked in.
He may not be as spry as he once was, but experience made him a deadly opponent.
He kept his eyes closed and waited for the person to bring their fists back for another strike then shot his own hands up to grab the attacker's wrists. Ginjou twisted each wiry arm back and then brought his head forward, throwing his cranium against the other's sensitive nose with a resounding crack.
He heard the pained gasp and used the moment to his advantage by quickly flipping their positions so he was on top. However, before he could continue his counterattack, he was once again thrown off, this time to the floor where large shards of glass carpeted the once spotless floorboards.
He groaned in pain and winced as he sat back up. He could already feel the cracks and bruises to his ribs from where he got kicked, and the tiny splinters of glass in his back did nothing to ease the pain. He gently pressed a hand to his injured side before he finally looked up and his eyes widened when he saw just how many people had come to Ichigo's aide.
There was Aizen, of course, a few teens with exotic-colored hair: pink, blue, and teal, as well as four others that shared a stunning resemblance to Ichigo.
The person who attacked him must've been one of Ichigo's brothers, because he looked exactly like him. They shared the same orange hair, stern frown, and angry scowl, but, instead of the chocolate brown eyes Ginjou was accustomed to, this boy had bright golden orbs that sparked with intense energy.
It also didn't help that pretty much all of them were shirtless, showing off well-muscled torsos and strong fists that could pack a hard punch, much like he encountered earlier.
Ginjou returned his gaze to said attacker and the glare sent his way would have been much more intimidating if it weren't for the small river of blood gushing from his nose.
"You must be Ichigo's brothers..." Ginjou gasped as he slowly dragged himself to his feet. He could feel the glass digging into his skin, but he ignored them while trying to quell the guilt welling up inside him. He hid it behind a nonchalant, uncaring façade, but he knew that Ichigo could easily see passed it.
The pale, white-haired male—most likely another one of Ichigo's brothers—stepped forward.
"Okay... M'gonna say this once... I don't give a shit who you are—you lay your hands on my lil' brother again n' I'll fuckin' kill you." Under his breath he added, "You're fuckin' lucky Kon got here 'fore I did…"
Ginjou raised his lip in the beginning of a snarl, but quickly pushed it aside and outstretched his hands in a sign of surrender. He wanted to seem as nonthreatening as possible at this point but nothing he could say or do would help; Everyone in the room looked like they wanted his head on a platter and served for dinner.
Aizen and a few of his adopted children chose to step back and hover in the background. They wanted to be there in case something happened but they knew they shouldn't get involved. Grimmjow, however, was not one to back away from a possible fight. He moved forward to stand beside Shirosaki, his blue eyes narrowed and hostility rolled off him in waves.
Both Getsuga and Mugetsu stepped around and went to stand right between Ginjou and Ichigo, creating a threatening barrier between the two. While Mugetsu's face was calm and controlled, Getsuga's was a storm of anger and evil intent.
In the middle of all that tension was poor Ichigo, who was still prone on the floor. Kon quickly, yet carefully, wiped the blood from his face before kneeling by his twin's side. He tried to inspect Ichigo's swollen face, but the teen flinched and pushed him away.
Shiro stood right behind them, acting as a sort of protective, white shadow. His arms were crossed and piercing, golden eyes never left Ginjou's tense form.
Said man let a small moment of panic take over and he tried to step around the group and escape, but Getsuga wouldn't let him go that easily. The pale orangette jumped to block his way and let a feral hiss slip passed his lips. With fists clenched, he was about to lunge forward but he paused when a voice caught his attention.
"Guys! Hold on! It's okay."
Surprisingly, it was Ichigo who came to Ginjou's rescue.
Shirosaki snapped his head down to glare at the teen who was now sitting up. He then hissed in a low, dangerous voice, "'Okay?' 'OKAY?!' Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" He quickly snatched up Ichigo's arm and pulled him to his feet before grasping the teen's chin to get a better look at his cheek, which was already beginning to swell. "He fuckin' hit you, Ichigo! That's not okay!"
Said orangette huffed before smacking his brother's hands away. "It's fine—It'll go away in a few hours! Now fuck off, guys! I can handle this." He stubbornly pushed his way out from the protective circle that had formed around him so he could stand before Ginjou.
Tense silence hovered over the room while the two faced each other. Ginjou refused to meet the teen's eyes, and Ichigo was steeling himself for what he was about to say next. He and Ginjou had never actually spoken about their feelings. It was always constant guilt and anger that was passed between them. Ichigo never had the nerve to tell Ginjou how he felt because he was sure that Ginjou wouldn't care.
"… Ginjou." The man still refused to look him in the eye, but he grunted to show he was listening. "I appreciate everything you've done for me... But—" He was cut off by the sound of loud ringing.
Everyone turned to see Aizen digging into his suit's jacket pocket to retrieve a cell phone. He took a quick glance at the screen before looking back up. "I need to take this... Ginjou, I want to speak with you after all this—So I'm trusting you guys to make sure he stays here." He gave a pointed look to his adopted children before disappearing down the hall.
For a long time nobody made a move, because they weren't quite sure where to go from there.
The brothers wanted nothing more than to beat Ginjou to a bloody pulp, but Ichigo had already told them to back off, and they couldn't just throw him out now…
Ichigo was silent for a few long seconds before he finally sighed and turned his gaze back to the dark haired man who had raised him.
"Ginjou… I'm staying. I don't care what you say... You've already honored Jackie's wish. I'm okay. Let her rest in peace."
Ginjou narrowed his eyes, but he didn't argue. He wasn't about to put up a fight when all the people around him were just itching for a reason to beat him senseless.
"Fine." Ginjou's words seemed to stick to his lips like taffy and his face twitched with suppressed frustration. "If that's how you feel then I want nothing more to do with you. You aren't my child… and you never were." Once those last couple of words fell from his lips, he squared his shoulders and started towards the exit, hand still gingerly pressed to his injured ribs.
He never once looked back to see Ichigo's sorrowful expression and even if he did… it still wouldn't have been enough to make him stay.
When it looked like one of Aizen's children was about to stop him, Ichigo would raise his hand and shake his head. "Let him go…" He whispered.
There were no goodbyes said between them so Ichigo wasn't sure if this would be the last time he ever saw Ginjou again. It made him feel hollow and desperate because there was still so much he wanted to say, but he just couldn't find the words to express it.
So many unresolved feelings and unanswered questions...
Once Ginjou was out of sight, Shirosaki and Getsuga both jumped forward and turned the corner to watch and make sure he left. Their eyes were narrowed and filled with unsated bloodlust.
Kon rubbed the back of his neck as tension welled up inside him and he sighed when Ichigo's eyes gleamed with unshed tears. The emotional teen's gaze dropped to his bare feet and he concentrated on flexing his toes to calm himself before he started crying like a little bitch again.
He remembered doing it a lot when he was little and he wondered if maybe his real parents had taught him it.
"Hey... You okay?"
Chocolate eyes snapped up to lock with deep, sapphire blue and Ichigo couldn't help the small blush that spread all the way across his cheeks to the tips of his ears, especially when he noticed just how close Grimmjow's face was to his own.
"M'fine." Ichigo mumbled quickly before jumping away. Grimmjow's lips curled up into a bone-melting smirk making Ichigo hide himself behind Mugetsu, but that just seemed to amuse the bluenette. "Can we just go back to the pool or something…" Ichigo grumbled desperately.
Each of them knew that he was just trying to focus on something other than what just happened with Ginjou, so they weren't about to disagree with him.
Everyone, save for Shiro, Getsuga, and Aizen, made their way back outside and settled themselves onto the porch. Plush, green-striped cushions decorated the floor in a large circle and in the middle of that circle was a giant fire-pit.
Nnoitra and Yammy volunteered to get the fire started and once it roared to life, Ichigo chose to sit so close that he could practically feel the hairs of his arms being singed. He curled himself up and let his gaze lock with the bright orange flames that licked at the cool, night air.
He didn't feel all the stares pointed at him and he never noticed that someone sat beside him until a large, warm hand pressed soothingly to his bare back.
He flinched at the contact, but quickly relaxed and looked up to see that everyone's attention was still focused on him, and it made him uncomfortable. Mugetsu was trying his best to soothe his youngest brother by gently rubbing circles into the boy's back, but it didn't do much. He knew that the only way to make the stares stop was to sate their curiosity.
"Ichigo…" Said teen blinked and then slowly turned until he locked eyes with Mugetsu. "Are you okay?" His voice was just loud enough to hear over the crackle of the fire.
Ichigo let his gaze slip back to the burning wood and shrugged. He wasn't comfortable talking about his feelings in front of strangers.
Nelliel seemed to sense what he was thinking and scooted towards him, pushing Kon out of the way so she could lightly touch his shoulder. When Ichigo finally locked eyes with her, she smiled and said, "You are Shiro's brother, so that makes you family to us. We're all here for you—so don't ever feel out of place around us."
He wasn't sure what to say to that; He felt relieved and happy to know that he was so easily accepted into Shiro's makeshift family—but he still didn't feel quite comfortable enough to discuss Ginjou.
Hell, he'd never even told Byakuya or Renji about what went on behind those closed doors. This was the first time Ginjou ever let his temper get the best of him outside their own house and Ichigo felt that any chance he had at getting the man to return to the father he once was had been crushed.
Ichigo felt lost when he knew he should've been happy that the abusive fuck was finally out of his life.
Nelliel had to be slightly psychic because, once again, she seemed to sense what was bothering him.
"You don't have to talk about it now… We'll wait until you're ready…" Ichigo stared back into her huge, sympathetic eyes and let a grateful smile slip onto his lips. "We know that today's been one huge rollercoaster for you guys."
"No need ta tell us that..." All eyes turned to see that Shirosaki and Getsuga had returned and were standing close by.
"What took you guys so long?" Kon griped and he reflexively flinched when Shirosaki's cold gaze snapped to him.
"We wanted ta make sure the asshole left, but Aizen caught him before he got in his car and they were prattling on 'bout somethin'—Couldn't really hear 'em since they were whispering… but Getsu and I waited until the asshole left at least."
Ichigo shook his head and let a tiny smirk slip onto his face.
"Thanks guys…"
Shirosaki's gaze softened when they landed on Ichigo. "What're big brothers for, eh?"
Ichigo looked away at that.
'Too bad you weren't there when it started…'
That sentence had been on the tip of his tongue and his lips were about ready to spill it, but thankfully Ichigo was able to keep them closed. The only problem was… he'd forgotten that his mind was an open book to Shirosaki.
He saw the hurt look flash across Shiro's face making Ichigo swell with regret.
Just as he was about to jump up and tell him he didn't really mean it, Aizen came walking through the open doors. His presence commanded attention and seemed to chill the night air, even with the fire still going.
Everyone was silent as they waited to hear what he had to say.
"I think it's time you all went to sleep… Except you, Shiro. You and your brothers stay for a moment." He narrowed his eyes at his children, letting them know he was dissapointed that they didn't keep Ginjou from leaving, but he wasn't really in the mood to scold them.
"Yes, father…" All his children, including Shiro, said in practiced unison. One by one, they all slowly got to their feet.
Nelliel placed a comforting hand on Shiro's arm and gave him a small smile before taking her leave. Then Starrk stepped up to speak with the brothers, except Shirosaki, since they already knew each other.
"If you guys need anything then let me know... I'm in the room all the way down the hall upstairs to the right. If you can't wake me up, then Halibel's room is right across from mine." The tall blonde behind him nodded her assent to show that she would be more than happy to help. "Good luck guys..." And with that they, as well as Szayel, Nnoitra, Yammy and Ulquiorra, left. Just before Grimmjow walked through the door, he turned and locked eyes with Ichigo. Grinning, he blew the orangette a kiss, making the poor berry's face heat up once again.
Grimmjow's smirk widened. He wanted to tease the berry more, but one look at Aizen's impatient glare and he left, but not without a parting wink.
Ichigo huffed in annoyance and yet he couldn't help but notice how his heart pounded in excitement with the jerk's flirting. Not even Bazz-B got a reaction like this from him. He thought back to that kiss Grimmjow stole from him by the pool. Just thinking about those firm lips made his heart beat that much harder.
Dammit.
Kon rolled his eyes when he noticed Ichigo's flushed cheeks. Then he caught sight of Shirosaki's simmering glare which was directed at the now empty doorway.
Shiro's jealousy was so obvious that it was a little painful to watch.
Kon shifted his gaze to Mugetsu and Getsuga and, judging by the amused stares, they also saw what was going on.
"Now then…" Aizen waited until all eyes were on him before continuing. "I need to know if you boys want to go back to school tomorrow…"
Shirosaki smirked and crossed his arms. "If it's an option, then I 'aint goin'."
Getsuga snorted but otherwise nodded his agreement.
They were Senors and it was automatically understood that they were just tired of high school. Ichigo and Kon locked eyes and shrugged indifferently, but then Mugetsu rubbed the back of his neck.
"I should really go. I just started working there and it would look bad if I didn't show up on my second day…" He explained while shuffling his feet.
"Muge, you had a heart attack. I'm sure they'd understand!" Kon huffed, but Mugetsu didn't seem convinced.
"Still… I promised Kaien that if I felt okay then I'd be there. And I feel great."
Each brother eyed him warily but otherwise didn't argue.
"Fine then, we'll stay here and you can—"
"No." Aizen crossed his arms at the wide eyes he received. "If one of you is going, then all of you are."
Shirosaki groaned and huffed. "Aw come on! But—"
"No buts. I want all of you in the same place so it's easier to keep track of you." When he received no further arguments, he continued, "I've already arranged for guards to be placed around the school. They'll be keeping an eye on all five of you, so if it seems like someone is following you, don't panic." He let the information sink in for a moment and then added, "Any questions?"
Kon was the first to step up and he raised his hand politely, even though they weren't in a class setting he felt it was appropriate.
Aizen lifted a brow curiously but nodded for him to speak up.
"Have you heard from ma?"
Aizen let a small, amused snort make its way passed his cool façade. "'Ma'? If you're referring to Yoruichi, then yes. I have." Kon's eyes lit up and he hopped closer, eager to hear more. "Last I heard she, Ryuken and Zangetsu were at an abandoned clinic. Kisuke is seeing to them, which is for the best: If anyone can neutralize the poison in Ryuken's system, then it's that man." Aizen's tone wasn't all too friendly when he spoke of Kon's father, making the teen scrunch his face in confusion, but he ignored it. He was just glad to hear that his mom was okay. "Zangetsu was shot a few times—" Mugetsu's eyes widened and he was about to ask if he was alright, but Aizen beat him to it. "He's in stable condition, and Yoruichi will be patching him up." When the eldest brother still seemed a little frazzled, Aizen added, "He'll be fine, I assure you. Now relax before you have another heart attack." That got Mugetsu to relax quickly. "Now then… Any other questions?"
Ichigo was impressed at how patient this man was.
He had a house filled to the brim with teenagers and, amidst all this drama, he was still able to keep himself calm and collected.
"Where should we sleep?" Kon piped up eventually.
"I'll let Shirosaki decide that." Said teen shrugged and nodded. "You boys are welcome to any of the rooms upstairs. I believe there are one or two guest bedrooms, so please make yourselves at home. My two biggest rules are as follows… Don't go in my office, and if I'm in there working, then you will not disturb me unless it's an absolute emergency." When each of them nodded their heads in understanding, Aizen felt that he could move on. "If that's all, then I'm going to retire for the night."
He paused and waited to see if there were any other questions. When no one spoke, he ducked his head in farewell and retreated back into the house, closing the door behind himself to give the boys some privacy.
It was silent as each brother thought over all the information that just got shoved down their throats. Shirosaki was the first to snap out of it.
"Alright guys! You wanna hang out here for a lil' longer, or are ya ready for bed too?"
Kon fell dramatically into Ichigo's side and clung to him. "I wanna sit down and get to know you guys! We haven't really had a chance to talk yet."
That was true.
Too much had happened today for them to actually sit and talk, so it was sort of overdue.
"Buuuut I'm exhausted!" Kon let out a loud, obnoxious yawn that was clearly faked, but it still forced out Ichigo's own yawn. That one yawn made him aware of just how tired he really was and his eyes began to droop. As usual, his body didn't feel much, and he could already tell that the bruise on his face was gone, but his head ached and he was mentally drained from today.
"I agree. I don't think I can stay up much longer… Can we go to bed?" Ichigo rubbed his eyes as he let out another cute yawn.
Each brother smiled at their adorable little brother.
How could they say no to that?
"Sure. Follow me." Shirosaki headed into the house first, followed closely by Ichigo and then the rest of them.
They made their way up the many, many stairs until they finally reached the third floor, where it opened up into a large hallway that headed in both directions. The walls were the same off-white as the rest of the house, as well as the carpet.
Shirosaki steered them to the left and led them to the very end of the hall.
"These are the guest rooms tha' Aizen mentioned. The rooms next ta them belong to Nnoitra and Nel. They're pretty cranky when they wake up, so try ta avoid 'em in the morning… but anyway, my room is in the other direction."
Each of them looked at each other, wondering who should sleep with whom, because it looked like it would have to be two to a room.
For five boys who came from the same mother, it was surprisingly difficult to decide.
"Uhm… Well. I don't care who I sleep with… and I don't really snore or anything." Mugetsu said with a small chuckle.
Kon shuffled nervously, "I'm not sure if I should really have a bedmate… I tend to kick in my sleep."
Ichigo and Mugetsu flinched at the image. They've both seen the power behind Kon's unnaturally strong legs: Ichigo from the hospital where he witnessed Kon kick the crazy scientist as well as the solid metal door, and Mugetsu who had seen the kick that easily cracked Ginjou's ribs.
Getsuga quickly shifted to Mugetsu's side, making it clear who he would prefer to sleep with.
Ichigo blinked and looked towards Kon before switching his gaze to Shiro, whose face was clear of any emotions. There was no way to tell what he was thinking, and it frustrated Ichigo that their mental connection couldn't go both ways.
"Shiro, do you…" He began, but he trailed off when the older teen turned and started making his way to his own room.
Kon's heart went out to his twin when he saw the shocked and hurt look crawl across Ichigo's face before it was shoved aside to make room for bitter disappointment.
Ichigo sighed and mentally made his peace with being Kon's sleeping buddy—which might work out for the best, because even if Kon did kick him in his sleep, the bruises would most likely heal by the time they woke up. He was about to say just that, but his breath caught when Shiro's voice reached his ears.
"You comin', Dandelion?"
Both Getsuga and Mugetsu couldn't help but smile when they saw the huge grin that broke out across Ichigo's face. The teen's happiness radiated off him in waves and it was infectious.
Ichigo honestly didn't even realize he was smiling, he was just glad to know Shiro wasn't upset with him.
Kon rolled his eyes and gestured for his twin to get going. Ichigo nodded and immediately bolted to catch up with their pale, white-haired brother.
Kon rubbed the back of his head and sighed when both teens were finally out of sight. "Shouldn't we be worried…? I mean… Yeah, it's kinda wrong on a few levels, but…"
Mugetsu patted the teen's shoulder and chuckled. "I know what you mean, Kon, but I wouldn't worry about it. It's their decision—and as long as they're not hurting each other, I don't think it should matter."
"But didn't you see how jealous Shiro got? I have a bad feeling about this..."
"Like I said, it's their decision. Let's just hope it works out." Mugetsu smiled and squeezed the teen's shoulder before retreating to one of the bedrooms, leaving Getsuga and Kon alone in the hallway.
"You think it'll work out…?" Kon asked the quiet teen, wanting to get his opinion as well, even if he knew he wouldn't get much.
Getsuga hummed and smirked.
"Who knows." He said in a deep voice that both soothed and rattled the younger teen's nerves.
Kon's eyes nearly fell from his head and he pointed towards the teen with his mouth agape.
"Did you just—" Getsuga quickly walked away and closed the door to his and Mugetsu's room before Kon could get the rest of his sentence out, leaving the poor teen both flustered and bewildered. "Holy shit!" He shouted quietly to himself and then he turned and looked around to see if anybody else had witnessed it. "And nobody was around to hear that!?"
…
..
.
Ichigo quietly closed the door behind himself and then turned to get a better look at his brother's room.
It was spacious and tidy, save for the few empty boxes in the corner. Posters to hardcore, metal bands littered the walls, making Ichigo snort in amusement.
Figures.
Right beside the large window that took up almost the entire wall was a king-sized bed. Crimson sheets and a soft, black comforter decorated the mattress. Shirosaki had draped himself atop the bed, looking very comfortable with his eyes closed and arms tucked behind his head.
Ichigo fell into temptation and let his gaze roam across Shirosaki's smooth, white body before finally tearing his eyes away.
He looked next to the bed and saw a small table with a drawer—lord knows what was inside it—and to the other side of the room was a computer desk with a built-in drawer for the keyboard. It was nice and looked to be made of thick, strong wood. Atop the desk was a computer monitor, a cup of pens and pencils, a few papers, and—probably most disturbing of all—was a bottle of lotion.
Ichigo felt his face heat up as images flashed across his mind, but he quickly pushed them away. He didn't want Shiro to—
"Haha! Ichi~ Get your mind outta the gutter."
Shit. Too late.
"I'm not—I mean—I d-didn't—"
"Shhh… It's okay." Shirosaki smirked as he slipped off the bed. He stepped towards the frazzled teen as if he was trying to reach a frightened fawn. He brought up his hand and slowly trailed it down Ichigo's chest, letting his fingers caress the other's peach-colored skin and unintentionally reminding Ichigo of the fact that they were both half naked.
"U-uhm… Would you mind sharing some PJs with me…" Ichigo struggled to say as Shiro's fingers got closer and closer to the hem of his trunks. His heart beat erratically against his chest and his nerves vibrated like a violin string that was being plucked too hard.
"PJs…? I don't have any." When Ichigo gave him a curious look, Shiro chuckled. "I sleep in the nude."
Shirosaki watched as the blood rose to Ichigo's cheeks and spread to his ears and then down his neck. The sight was both hilarious and a little arousing.
"B-b-b-but. We—I can't—I'm… Gahhhh!" Ichigo was frustrated with how much he was stuttering—He wasn't a fucking girl! But Shirosaki and even Grimmjow exuded this sex appeal that drove Ichigo's libido wild.
Shirosaki burst into laughter and then took a few steps back so Ichigo could breathe properly.
"Chill out! I'll find you somethin' to wear, and I'll put somethin' on too if it bothers ya so much~" He skipped over to the right and slid open the folding doors of his large walk-in closet.
Ichigo didn't bother looking inside, he was too busy concentrating on getting his breathing back to normal. He was just about succeed, but then Shirosaki just had to come waltzing out clad only in a pair of briefs. It left little to the imagination.
Ichigo slapped his hands to his face to cover his eyes and he groaned when he could hear Shiro's footsteps coming towards him. It wasn't fairrr!
He shouldn't be thinking of his brother this way, he knew that, but there was just no helping it when it came to Shiro.
"Here ya go."
Ichigo hesitantly peeked through his fingers to see that Shiro was holding up a black t-shirt and a pair of neon-green boxers.
"… Where's your restroom?" Ichigo was proud of himself for not stuttering, but that seemed to disappoint Shiro, as well as the fact that Ichigo wouldn't be changing in the room with him.
"Closest one's on the second floor. It'll be on your right." Shiro grumbled. Ichigo snatched up the clothes and then retreated. He quickly, yet quietly, closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He had Shiro's clothing clutched to his chest, where he could still feel those warm fingers ghosting across his skin.
He shook his head to clear the perverted thoughts and sighed to himself.
Tonight was going to be a long night.
The walk to the bathroom was just enough time for his heart to finally return to normal, but it was for naught, because as soon as he reached the door, it opened to reveal deep blue eyes and a smooth chest that bulged with muscle and begged to be touched.
'Fuck.' Ichigo cursed mentally when he saw the surprise fade from Grimmjow's face only to be replaced by excitement. That devilish smirk was back, and before Ichigo could utter a word, he was pulled into the bathroom and pressed against the now closed door.
Grimmjow had turned the light off when he was getting ready to leave and so he didn't bother to turn them back on, leaving them in complete darkness. It didn't deter Grimmjow's lips, however, as they found their way to a long neck. He pressed his tongue to the hot skin and smirked when he could feel the teen's pulse quickening. He let his mouth trail up until he found Ichigo's own, making the teen gasp.
"H-hey! You—" Ichigo tried to say, but his voice became muffled and whatever argument he'd been about to say went flying out of reach when strong fingers dove into his hair, massaging his sensitive scalp.
Hormones.
Fucking hormones.
They completely took over at that point, and the clothes that Ichigo had been clutching to, found themselves acquainted with the cold, tiled floor. His hands wrapped firmly around Grimmjow's solid body, digging into the soft skin of his back.
Grimmjow hummed his approval and pressed forward until he had the other fully pinned against the door. He then tilted his head, letting their mouths mesh together as he nipped playfully at eager lips. Ichigo felt a tongue press lightly between his teeth, begging for entrance, and he immediately opened his mouth, letting it slip inside and dance around expertly.
Since sight wasn't part of the equation, Ichigo found his skin to be all the more sensitive and he gasped when a large hand left his hair to trail down his torso.
It was the same exact path that Shiro's hand had taken.
'Dammit.'
Ichigo had to forcefully pull himself away, detaching his lips from Grimmjow's surprisingly addicting ones.
Ichigo groaned deep in his throat when he felt playful fingers dip past the hem of his shorts, caressing his sensitive skin. "Can't…" He gasped out and, using every last drop of willpower he had left, pushed the bluenette away. He surprised himself when he realized that he kinda missed the intense heat that Grimmjow's body seemed to radiate.
"Tch… Yeah… okay." Grimmjow had trouble hiding his disappointment, and usually he would've pushed more, but he'd gotten plenty of ass today, so he wasn't desperate… But damn, this kid was hot as fuck and it was really hard not to pin him to that door again.
Ichigo could almost sense the desperation and he gulped when he felt that magnetic pull. It was tempting, oh so fucking tempting, but he shook it off (somehow).
"Thanks." He said when Grimmjow stepped away, understanding how tough it probably was on the other—if the rock-hard erection was anything to go by.
"Yeah, sure." Grimmjow said and cleared his throat when the awkwardness began to rise. He reached out and let his fingers touch the wall. He paused to say "Close your eyes…" and waited a second before flicking the switch.
Light engulfed the room, revealing the large bathroom with a double sink, a walk-in shower with sliding glass doors, and a deep seated, circle tub with jets running all along the sides.
"Wow." Ichigo whispered. Even Byakuya didn't have a restroom like this.
The Kuchiki home was easily just as large and elegant as this, but Byakuya had more classic tastes while Aizen seemed to be a bit more contemporary.
"Yup. Father doesn't skimp when it comes to luxury." Grimmjow chuckled and then he seemed to remember something. His eyes widened ever so slightly and he quickly dug into the pockets of his plaid, pajama bottoms. He whipped out his phone and clicked a button, making it come to life. Grimmjow was silent as he stared at the screen and then the biggest smirk Ichigo had seen so far spread across his face.
It was 11:43pm
Ichigo was about to ask what was so great about the time, but thought better of it. Instead, he bent down to retrieve the clothes he'd dropped and tried to address the problem at hand.
"Look… I think you're a nice guy and everything, but—"
Grimmjow seemed to know where Ichigo was leading the conversation and quickly jumped in.
"Listen! I know you've gone through a lot, so I ain't lookin' for anythin' big, okay? I figured that we jus' had a good connection n' so I went for it." He raised his hands and tried to make his face look as innocent as possible, but Ichigo was convinced that he would always have a hint of a smirk no matter what expression he wore.
"I don't know… I just barely met you, ya know?" Ichigo said, uncertainty clear in his voice.
He knew Grimmjow wasn't trying to be pushy, and he definitely liked the guy, but he just wasn't sure if it would work out when he was still so confused about his own feelings towards Shiro.
Bang Bang Bang!
"Grimmjow! If you're in there with Ichigo, m'gonna fuckin' kill you!"
Speak of the devil.
"Tch… Spoilsport…" Grimmjow huffed under his breath, but then he returned his attention to Ichigo, who seemed even more flustered now. "Look. If you like me even a little bit, and if you think that maybe somethin' can happen between us, then I wantchya to do somethin' for me." He quickly slipped off one of the blue bracelets from his wrist and held it up to Ichigo, who eyed it suspiciously.
"Eh… I don't know…"
"Did you like that kiss?" Ichigo's face instantly went red at that and he hesitated before nodding slowly.
Both teens jumped when the bathroom door rattled.
"Ichigo! Open the fuckin' door!"
Grimmjow growled at the interruption and quickly brought the attention back to himself by reattaching his lips to Ichigo's. It definitely worked, and Ichigo was torn between pushing Grimmjow off and sinking into the pleasures of that hot mouth.
Grimmjow didn't torture the teen for too long though.
Once he knew he had the other's full attention, he popped their lips apart.
"Just wear it 'til mornin' then, okay? So I know you're at least interested."
When Ichigo didn't say no, Grimmjow brought the bracelet to his hand and slipped it over long, tanned fingers. He paused to stare into Ichigo's big, expressive eyes, and when Ichigo still didn't say no, he slipped the bracelet up the rest of the way, letting it rest against the teen's wrist almost delicately.
"You find yourself gettin' lonely, then don't hesitate to join me tonight. My bedroom's right across from Shiro's." And with that said, Grimmjow and his infinitely smirking face turned to unlock the door, only to be greeted with Shirosaki's large fist.
Luckily, he'd been expecting it, and quickly dodged the attack.
"Asshole, m'gonna fuckin—" Shirosaki's rant stopped dead in his throat when he looked over to see Ichigo. What made him deflate wasn't the kiss-swollen lips nor was it the slight erection that was visible beneath those trunks; it was the little splash of blue he saw dangling from his brother's wrist.
Ichigo felt his brows furrow when he saw Shirosaki turn and dig into Grimmjow's pockets. After a second of searching, he finally found the other's phone (He didn't have his own because all he was wearing was a pair of boxers and a t-shirt). Grimmjow didn't seem bothered by the evasion of space and even smirked in an almost victorious sort of way when he heard Shiro curse at the screen.
"Fuck you, Grimm." Shirosaki spat, but said bluenette didn't even bat a lash at the outburst. All he did was quietly retrieve his phone from between Shiro's trembling fingers and then turn to give Ichigo another wink before finally taking his leave.
Ichigo could feel the tension growing in Shiro and he went to step closer, but he recoiled when golden eyes glared at him.
"Get dressed." He practically hissed and Ichigo flinched when the door slammed shut, leaving him alone to sort out his frazzled thoughts.
He had no idea what just happened, but he was definitely going to find out.
First things first though…
Ichigo sighed and let his gaze drop to glare at the tent in his shorts.
"This is all your fault…"
…
..
TBC
..
…
Longgggggg fucking chapter.
Omg
20 pages!
As an apology for being gone for so long.
I'M SO SORRY!
I hope I didn't lose too many readers, but I guess it's okay if I did
I write because I enjoy it~
But anyway, I'm finding it hard to get out lemons
I really wanted to have one this chapter, but…
Idk
The story just isn't ready for it yet